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maca_vr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
athenathestorier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
And I think part of the thing, right? They felt real. Everyone had nuances and interests and stories. And while Alex is significantly more crass, reckless, and rebellious than me, I saw myself in him perhaps most of all. He dreams of a inspired and honest future, observing and calculating everything in the hopes of watching that future take shape. He's so focused on this dream and where he fits in it, that he plans and plans and plans. He's repeated it to himself so much, painting it in his mind with as much permanence as the paintings in the white house, that when circumstances change, he has a hard time adjusting. It makes him question everything.
Between Alex's lists and Henry's prose, both of them bonded over popular culture, queer history references, and shared societal pressures, I easily got swept away in their developing friendship and romance equally.
Memorable Quotes:
- What kind of garbage country eats bland beans on white toast for breakfast? He can't decide if his Mexican blood or his Texan blood is more offended.
-"Er," Henry says, adding to the list of vowel sounds he has to show for himself. It is, unfortunately, also sexy. After all these weeks, the bar is low.
- He's sure he used to know quite a lot of words, in more than one language, in fact, but he can't seem to recall any of them.
- Exploring your sexuality: healthy, but does it have to be with the prince of England?
- Thinking about history makes me wonder how I'll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too.
- I used to think, if I pictured the person I wanted to be and took all the crazy anxiety in my brain and narrowed it down to that point, I could rewrite it. Use it to power something else. It's like I never learned how to just be where I am.
- "Nora, what's the math?" June says, rounding on her, a slightly frantic look in her eyes. "I majored in nouns."
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Outing
Minor: Emotional abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
kimmag92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Outing, and Gaslighting
jamiejanae_6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Outing, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
captainoliimar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Outing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Deportation
im_just_vidu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Talking about the story, it's hands down BEAUTIFUL. I want someone in my life who would write poems and essays and love letters with so much love in them. Well, that's a huge goal to have, but anyhow you got my point. In my head I can't describe how perfect man Henry is. He's the goddamn definition of perfection. Well, that doesn't mean Alex isn't. The beautiful thing about Alex is he isn't perfect. It's beautiful how perfectly imperfect he is. And that's so lovely. It's so beautiful how they match for each other. It's like Henry is the most shining golden lock with only one key in the world, and Alex is that key. That key fit perfectly. That key which is the only thing that can open the lock for the heart of Henry. That one and only key which fits perfectly for that beautiful shining lock.
I should mention about Alex's support gang. It must be soo cool to have a sister like June. Who will always know what's going on your mind, and will always jump into any pit, for the sake of your brother. Well, I can't forget about Nora too. A human calculator friend you will meet only once in your lifetime. Who you can pretend like you're dating just to fool others and have a good laugh. And also, Alex's mom. I always see people lose their humanity with the titles and power they gain. But her, she's the best ever you can ask because before she's the president in the country, she's a mother. A mother who will always care about her children's feelings more than the outside world. A mother who will always care about her child's mental health than the news reports. A mother who will order pizza and have fun nights with her children even though they're grown people and also even when she has tons of work to do. Alex's father, who is so quick at seeing their child's inner thoughts, who is accepting them for who they are and spend more time with them even when they're a broken family in the inside. Well, Alex's stepfather should also have more credit for tolerating everything and being there with the president and not second guessing his decisions about letting himself to be part of a family where another man is also in. That is the most imperfect family yet so good at keeping the bond so strong.
Henry's family on the other hand is a perfect disaster. Maybe that's what happens when you inherit the royalty. Him losing his dad might be the worst thing happened to him, because who is better than a dad that a boy can share his feelings with. His brother? Hell NO. I was so frustrated at Philip for most of the book because WHO THE HELL he is he think he is? Who the hell he is to tell someone to ignore their feelings, ignore their sexuality and ignore everything about themselves for the sake of ROYALTY? For the sake of portraying a WELL BUILD beautiful royal family. The fuck he thinks he is to make someone regret for being the way they are. Oh, I don't like him at all. Him and his mf attitude. Bea on the other hand is the sweet cutie pie in Henry's life just like June in Alex's life. I like how she tries to make sense to everyone else that "just because you don't see it , doesn't mean it's not there". Same goes with Henry's mom, the royal mom who is still thinks that her adult son is the clumsiest one. Well, he isn't, but you get the point. I like something somewhere in the book how Alex sees her. Henry's bravery, "I always thought he got it from it his father. But looking at her going against the queen and against the whole world, I can see from where he got it". Isn't that beautiful? I like that sentence so so much. She is claiming, "even though I'm not the queen, I'm a mom who's in her sixties who knows what to do and when to do the right thing". I love her for that.
You know what I love more? The love letters. Well, they are not exactly letters, obviously because they're emails but how lovely is that. Quoting someone who said something centuries ago because that feels perfectly fit to the moment. And they were not like " Hi, how are you? I'm fine, thank you" kind of bullshit. They were pure ART. Art that you can see someone learns for the literature after few decades. They were that much beautiful. Thinking that you really don't have a chance with each other to, 'Let's change the history' type of art. They were that beautiful. I like how it's not "I miss you & I love you" type of love letters. Well yes, they miss and love each other as anyone does but the way they do is art. You can't tell me otherwise. Who the hell would study history and literature and find the perfect quotes to send to your loving one and tell them about all the different leaders who were exactly like them? No one. Only these two can do it so perfectly. So, I'm in love with their beautiful love letters. I mean who is willing to have a long-distance relationship and write letters like Alex and Henry when they have thousands and thousands of miles between them. This is why most of the readers are single. Who wants a relationship if it's not like the prince charming does? Why would you settle for anything lower than someone who's willing to throw their royalty and crown away?
And lastly, I love them. Them who would participate for international charity events just to steal a glance of the other one. Them who will fly hours and hours and stand in front of the royal gate in the rain, just to say sorry. Them who will give up on sleep because time zone differences don't work well. Them who would come to the other side of the world because you got to know about a news that might makes the other sad and upset. Them who would willing to give up on everything for the other one. Them who hated each other so much without knowing it was love. Them who hated each other because they loved them more than everything. Them, who said 'yes' when their mother asks, "you sure about this thousand percent?". Them who's scared to death yet take the challenge for the other one. Them, who were not ashamed to be themselves, not even for a millisecond. Them, who choose the other one until the very end. And them, who made the history without hesitation. So, with every single second I love them to the core. Because at the end of the day, it was always, "History huh?"
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent
addyisnothere's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Outing
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
saurahsaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Genocide, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Abandonment
ruthiedr89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content and Outing
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
hayleythegoose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Biphobia, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Stalking, and Abandonment